HEINZ bosses today appeared to open the door to the possibility of a rescue package keeping HP Sauce production in Birmingham.

HEINZ bosses today appeared to open the door to the possibility of a rescue package keeping HP Sauce production in Birmingham.

Senior company chiefs have agreed to meet city council and regional development leaders early next week to discuss options for saving the world famous Aston Cross factory.

The twist came as support snowballed for the Birmingham Mail's Save Our Sauce campaign. Workers today staged a picket outside the firm's UK headquarters at Hayes, Middlesex, while union negotiators kept up the pressure inside in talks with directors.

But in a new development today, the US food giant pledged to the Mail that it would enter the talks with "real intent" to explore "every possible option".